The effect of vandalism on fibre composite structures

Abstract

With the emergence of fibre composite structures in real world civil engineering structures the effect of damage to these structures needs to be known. This study will
limit to real world tools being used to tamper and damage the fibre composite to desired levels not just to destruction. The damage to the fibre composites will be from a cutting implement, a blunt impact implement, a sharp impact implement and small amounts of fire.
This project seeks to investigate the effect of common types of vandalism on fibre composite structures, define the typical kinds of vandalism and with what tools they
occur with and whether any of these defects will have a negative effect on the structural integrity of the beam or structure. Define the amount of damage needed before
noticeable negative effects start to occur in the structure and investigating whether these effects translate into large scale environments.
The objectives of this research were to research the background information regarding fibre composites design and the typical usage of the fibre composite materials.
Investigate and document levels of vandalism for testing, analyse and test unaffected samples to provide a standard. Analyse and test vandalised samples with ranging levels
of vandalism, and investigate the effect of vandalism in integrated fibre composite structures/elements.For the sandwich composites the ease of cutting the material has been found and that has been found to be significant. The panels used also were found to be susceptible to burning of the skin but the inner core was immune to burning. With the blunt and sharp impact damage was found to be fairly significant in ultimate load but not very effective
in reducing flexural stiffness. The blunt damage if excessive was very effective.
The pultrusions were found to be extremely resistant to burning where no damage was found or damage was irrelevant. The pultrusion was also found to be very resistant to
blunt impact where little to no damage was able to be recorded. Like the pultrusions counterpart the ability to be cut was significant.
Further research is needed in to the fatigue behaviour of damaged fibre composites. The effect the damage has to the fibre composites needs further refinement and the ability of
the damage to affect large specimen and full scale panels needs to be undertaken